The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-20
ABRIEF. BUT BUSY SESSION
The Old Council Devotes It's Final Meet
ing to Disposing of Minor Business.
Proposed Amendment of the Natural-Gas Or
dinance-Legislation inRelation to Saloons
That Eyads Paying the City License Tax.

they transacted what little business there was
before them in one of the shortest sessions they
have held in two years. The bulk of the work
consisted in disposing of the numerous upimpor-
taut motions and ordinances that had been
pending for several meetings. and. the Board
of Aldermen was in session, final action was
reached on many such matters.
j. 81. Webster, chief of the fire department.,
addressed a communication to the body, calling
attention to the numerous incendiary fires in
.hs northwestern part of the city, and sug-
Rested that reward should be offered by the
Council for the apprehension of the guilty par
ties. The question raised as to whether the
Council had any authority to offer reward.
and the Communication was referred to the ju
dietary committee and the city attorney.
In order to meet the payment Of the interest
On the bonds falling due Jan. 1, 1888, the rules
were suspended, and special ordinance appro
priating the necessary sum for that purpose was
passed.
The committee streets and slleys reported
that they had considered the petition Of D. NJ
Bradbury, trustee, and others, asking for the
vacation of SO much of Singleton and Gray
Streets, and so much Of the alleys lying between
Singleton and Apologize streets lies between
Beecher street and the Union railway or Belt
railway, and upon their Recommendation
luton passed vacating the ground. The
ground ia to be used by the United States wire
and nail works by the extension of their manu-
factory.
The failure of Tomlinson Hall to return suffi-
cient revenue was discussed. When the regular
ordinance appropriating money for the payment
of the janitor came up for passage. Councilman
Pearson called attention to the fact that the
l.
until the Council ceased to allow it to be used
free of charge Other members agreed with
him that should be collected every time the
hall is used and this plan will be folio wed here
after.
Councilman Swain, chairman of the special
committee natural gas, called attention to
the fact that the School Board was complaining
that the ordinance p assed did not specify how
school-houses should be classed. For that
reas on none of the companies Offering to come
into this city would agree to furnish esti-
mate to the committee appointed by the School
Board He therefore gave notice that the COM
Inittee would consider the advisability of sub
uniting an amendment, covering the defect,
along with some other defects, at the next
meeting, and asked that the committee meet
fo- the purpose OF considering the matter some
time during the coming week. The proposition
me- with opposition. however, and IL was decided
that no special meeting should be held for the
purpose OF acting on the matter.
As a result of the rigid enforcement Of the
liquor Law, great many saloon keepers have
moved to localities just beyond the city limits
where they escape the 800 license and, being
able TO keep open all night and on every day in
the week they have found business very profit
able Recently, City Attorney Taylor has been
looking up the law, and finds that the city has
authority to compel all saloons within two miles
OF the city limits to pay the 500 license the
same as the saloons within the city limits. In
accordance with the discovery, Mayor Denny. at
The request Of number Of councilmen. intro
cnced an ordinance levying such a tax. The or
Siinspce Is supplementary to the one entitled
Eau ordinances increase the public
revenue of the city OF Indianapolis by
licensing saloons, telegraph companies,
and wagons or other vehicles used by
EXPRESS COMPANIES doing business in the city
and IN provide for tie erection of city hall and
work house" The ordinance specifies that 1t
Rhall lie unlawful for any man to retail intox-
icatinc liquor at any point outside Of the city.
within two miles of the city limits. without first
being granted a license by the County Com
missioners and the payment of 800 to the city
clerk for permit from the city. 1t also speci-
fi~s that all persons low engaged in the lawful
selling of liquor within two miles of the city
limits shall be required to take out city license
and pay proDortionately for it. Although the
ordinance does not so specify, the object in in
troducIng IL is TO create fund that may be
used In the erection of police station and
ether needed public buildings The ordinance
is based on the decision of the case of Lutz
decided in the Supreme Court few weeks ago.
The ordinance was referred to the CITY attorney
with instructions to report It back to the Council
at the next meeting.
At a previous meeting of the council the c.,
l.. ST. L. & c. Railroad Company was ordered to
remove the trestle from Geisendorff street. The
railroad company sent in communication that
IL would not be practicable TO remove the struct
this fall. because it would greatly retard the
business of that portion of the city; that it would
do great injury to the Hooeer Touring mill, Lam
dara a0rlr- a16a has r<n xuhn hava
other means of reaching railroads. except on the
trestle. It was therefore requested that the or
der be repealed. On motion of Mr.. Thalman it
was voted TO not repeal the order. but the street
commissioner was instructed 70 give the railroad
company further notice concerning the
moval of the structure and unless further
dered by the Council, to allow it to remain until
spring.
With this the entire business of the body
ended. Mayor Denny had a few parting words
with the body, briefly reviewing its work. He
said:
Gentlemen of the Common Council-Ths is, per-
haps. the end of our official work together. You
very outset of your term. The finance committee at
once determined to arrange the estimate of expendi
first year what had been lost through the outgoing
treasurer In this discrimination you all heartily
plished your desires, but at this time the county
board of equalization had added q greater
values theretofore placed on property for the
OF taxation by the assessor, and thereby largely
ducinR the cltys revenues. You again resolved to
keep the expenditures within the citys income, and
you have fulfilled that pledge also. Neither have
needed public improvements been abandoned in
the meantime Tornlinson Hall completed dur
ing your first year and about onehaf of its entire
cost paid out of the treasury during that year
The market-house has been built and paid for
tire during your term. In short, 100000
have been expended during the past two years for
permanent improvements outside of the usual
ming expenses. do not forget either that $50 900
of the 800 600 temporary loan existing when you
took charge has been paid off. You were ably sec
onded in all your efforts by exTreasurer Miller who
by bis diligence succeed in collecting many thousand
dollars of delinquent taxes that had been allowed to
accumulate for years and much of which had been
practically abandoned by his predecessors.
OF course, in order to make the excellent financial
showing you have departments of the city gov
eminent have not been as well cared for would
like to have seen done 1t cannot be said, however
that any of the important departments have been
seriously neglected This charge could be
nearly applied to concerning the street repair de-
partnent than any other perhaps Force of cireum-
stances has compelled this however, and the public
cannot Justly censure you for this seeming neglect
under the circumstances. Indeed you. well
street commissioner deserve credit for what you have